Dental wedge

Abstract

A dental wedge, for interproximal insertion in the interdental space between teeth for fixing a matrix band in position, including depressions in the lateral surfaces thereof for positively engaging the teeth and locking the wedge therebetween. Means are also provided for simulating the contour of the concave bulbous papillia of the gingiva disposed in the interdental space when the matrix band is affixed about the tooth and the wedge is interproximally positioned.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what is claimed is: 
     
       1. A unitary dental wedge for interproximal insertion in the interdental space between teeth comprising: an elongated body being substantially triangular in cross section;   means for positively engaging said teeth thereby locking said body therebetween, said positive engagement and locking means comprising at least one depression disposed in a portion of said elongated body contacting one of said teeth when said body is interproximally disposed, said depression being concavely tapered to conform substantially to and for capturing and selectively retaining therein a part of said contacted portion of said tooth, said contacted portion of said tooth being an interproximal surface thereof, said at least one depression being contoured to substantially conform to said contacted interproximal surface; and   means for simulating the contour of the concave bulbous papillia of the gingiva disposed in the interdental space when said papillia is displaced by interproximal insertion of said dental wedge, said contour simulating means comprising a pair of recesses disposed in said elongated body, said recesses being contoured as said papillia, said elongated body portion including a pair of side portions meeting at a vertex edge and a base portion, one of said recesses being disposed in one of said sidewalls, the other of said recesses being disposed in the other of said sidewalls, said recesses being adjacent, merging together, and undercutting said vertex edge proximate thereto.   
     
     
       2. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said elongated body is tapered along the longitudinal axis thereof. 
     
     
       3. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said at least one depression comprises at least one pair of depressions, said elongated body including a pair of side portions and a base portion, one of said depressions of each of said pairs being disposed in one of said side portions, the other of said depressions being disposed in the other of said side portions. 
     
     
       4. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 3, wherein each of said depressions are disposed in said side portions adjacent to said base portion. 
     
     
       5. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 1, wherein a pair of said recesses are disposed in said elongated body adjacent each said at least one depression or cooperating pair thereof disposed in said elongated body. 
     
     
       6. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 2, wherein said elongated body is tapered from an insertion end to a wider manipulation end, said elongated body further comprising a head portion adjacent to said manipulation end to facilitate interproximal insertion and handling of said dental wedge. 
     
     
       7. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 6, wherein said head portion is substantially rectangular, said longitudinal axis of said elongated body being substantially normal to the planes in which the faces of said head portion are disposed. 
     
     
       8. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 2, wherein said elongated body portion is tapered from an insertion end to a wider manipulation end, said elongated body portion comprising a pair of side portions meeting at a vertex edge and a base portion, said base portion being curved adjacent to the insertion end of said elongated body, said base portion meeting said vertex edge at a point at said insertion end. 
     
     
       9. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 6, further comprising means to facilitate the engagement of said elongated body by a gripping dental instrument. 
     
     
       10. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 9, wherein said engagement facilitation means comprises a notch disposed in said elongated body adjacent to said head portion thereof. 
     
     
       11. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 1, wherein said elongated body is formed from a semi-resilient material. 
     
     
       12. A dental wedge in accordance with claim 11, wherein said dental wedge is formed as an integral unitary body.